Turnabout Ending
by Maya Fey7
Summary: Phoenix and Maya have a private evening at a hotel. Spoilers for the first four games.


As the train pulled into the station, Phoenix wondered whether his life was finally going to improve. By now he'd been disbarred for more than twice the time he'd been lawyering, and he was making more money now anyway. Even after going through all that he did to prove his innocence and retaking the bar exam, he was still unsure.  
Being a defense attorney was just what he was supposed to do; ever since the first case, since Mia Fey—he had no doubt that it was what he wanted to do. When he was a student, his only goal was to make the bar; when he was disbarred, to be reinstated; but now, both of these messy areas of his life were long behind him, and he wondered whether it was really worth it.  
But then was not the time; he was Phoenix Wright, and Wright was a lawyer, dammit. Whether it was the right thing to do or not, it was what he was supposed to do—an so, he got off the train.  
She said he'd be here at six, thought Phoenix; a quick glance at his phone told him that he had a good four hours to go, so he could afford to take his time.  
"L-Lost?"  
"Yes, sir," said the station attendant. "I'm not sure how it happened, but it seems your suitcase was not loaded into the correct compartment." Phoenix groaned in disbelief.  
"What can I do? I'm only staying here for three days, and I have a very important item in that suitcase!" His client probably wouldn't even ask to see his badge, but it was brand new and he just couldn't sleep without it.  
"A-Are you staying at the Gatewater Paradise, sir?" she said.  
"Yes." The attendant let out a little breath of relief.  
"The Gatewater company purchased us earlier this year. Your luggage should be over on the next train by five o' clock; if you give me your room number, I can arrange to have it delivered immediately."  
Phoenix thought for a moment, but couldn't remember the room number. "My proof of purchase is in the suitcase," he said.  
"That's perfectly fine," she said. "Could you please give me your full name?"  
"Phoenix Wright."  
"Thank you, Mr. Wright. I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience. If you'll please give me a minute…" She rushed off for a second, and returned with a piece of paper. "Your proof of purchase," she said. "If you could just show me some identification, I can give this to you without any more difficulty." And he did, and she did, and Phoenix went into the Gatewater Paradise empty-handed.  
When a lawyer is trying to convince a person to choose him for legal counseling, it is acceptable for him to wear a blue suit, a white undershirt, a red tie, and abnormally spiky hair. When a lawyer wants to relax at a hotel and win several games of poker, however, it is acceptable for him to wear something less. Phoenix walked into his room and stared at himself in the mirror. He started by slipping off the jacket and tie; easy enough, but the shirt underneath still wasn't very casual. He took it off as well, revealing a grayish wifebeater, long since stained by coffee which was very hot and very black. He paid to have every other part of the damaged outfit cleaned, but this just seemed… unimportant. He wondered if other people would be embarrassed by the state of their underclothes. He decided to wear it out despite its appearance.  
The room was cleanly divided into two parts by a partition; Phoenix was in the entrance area, which connected to the entrance, a bathroom, and a closet. On the other side should be all the other things you'd normally find in a hotel, but Phoenix didn't feel like looking; he took a hanger out of the closet and put his jacket, shirt, and tie inside. He meekly shut the closet door behind him, as if he were a guest in another person's home, and took the elevator up to the top floor.  
The top floor had only three rooms, all of them suites; the rest was occupied by a casino, a bar, two restaurants, and a pool on the rooftop. Inside the casino, all the out-facing walls were perfectly transparent, and he looked out at the beach a few blocks away.  
For the legendary Phoenix Wright, the hours that followed were nothing but gambling; he played until he quintupled the meager money he had in his wallet, and headed for the bar.  
"And you?" Phoenix blinked twice before responding.  
"I'd like a blue zodiac, please." She prepared it shortly. Phoenix sipped the zodiac in peace.  
"Nick?" Phoenix's ears perked slightly, but he went back to his drink as if nothing happened.  
"Nick! I can't believe you're here!" Just as he was about to turn around, Phoenix felt a feminine hand brush against his neck and saw its owner sit on the stool beside him.  
"Maya!" said Phoenix. "How… wow, I can't believe this. It's been so long…"  
"What are you doing down here?" said Maya. "This is pretty far from Wright & Co."  
"Well, it's not really close to Kurain village, either…"  
"I came down here for a convention," she said. "Oh, Cult is doing a special issue this month… I needed to come down to represent the Kurain channeling technique. What about you?"  
"I'm meeting a potential client," said Phoenix. "We're having dinner in the hotel restaurant at six." Maya nodded slowly.  
"I have to get dinner some time around then, too," she said. "No definite time yet—the Rengu master said she would text me."  
"What's the Rengu method like?"  
"I donno," said Maya. "That's what we're meeting about." They smiled just a little. "Pearls told me all about the trial," she said. "About what Mr. Gavin did to you. It's—It just makes me—" Phoenix put a gentle hand on her arm. "I'm glad you were reinstated, Nick. I really am." For a moment they just sat and smiled at each other.  
"Pearls told you?"  
"Trucy," was all Maya needed to say for Explanation. The girls had met a couple years earlier when the four of them celebrated a dual thirteenth birthday—Trucy, it turned out, was exactly thirteen days older, and when the universe gives you numbers like that you don't turn it down. They kept in frequent contact ever since, so it was only natural that Pearls new everything that happened in Phoenix's last trial.  
"It really sucks," said Maya, "that we don't talk much anymore. I've just been so busy, I can hardly leave the village. I really should have been calling or emailing or something with you all this time, but…"  
"I'm sorry, too," said Phoenix. "I'm just as bad as you—worse, really. I don't have to be the spiritual leader of a bunch of mediums, so there's really no excuse."  
Maya smiled. "What do you think of Gatewater Paradise?"  
"It's nice," said Phoenix, "but I can't help wishing he'd chosen somewhere else to meet."  
"Me too," said Maya. They were quiet.  
"How long will you be staying?" said Phoenix.  
"Three days."  
"Oh," said Phoenix. "Me too. I really only needed the one meeting, but he insisted, so…" Maya nodded absently.  
"Hey, Nick?"  
"Yeah?"  
"I just noticed your shirt."  
"Ah."  
"Did Godot do that?"  
"Yeah." And in the moments that followed, Phoenix noticed something: as much as Maya had changed, as she got taller and more mature and as her bust came to nearly overtake her sister's, one thing which Phoenix had never realized was important to him had stayed the same.  
Maya laughed. She laughed childishly, happily—it was the opposite of everything which had changed in all these years. In a few seconds, it was over, and she was the new Maya again.  
"Maya," said Phoenix, "after tonight, I'm more or less free for a few days. We need to hang out some, okay?"  
Maya nodded. "What room are you in? If we know who's on the higher floor, we can go the last couple of flights together." She smiled familiarly.  
"I'm in room 724," said Phoenix. Maya stared at him blankly.  
"Sorry, what room?"  
"724," he repeated. "Seventh floor. Right near the elevator."  
"Show me your keycard!" As confused as he was, Phoenix obeyed.  
Maya spent a good thirty seconds scanning the card. "Wow…" she said.  
"What?" Instead of answering, Maya pulled her own card out and pressed it into Phoenix's palm.  
Sure enough, written in neat Arabic numerals, was 724.  
"What?"  
"Phoenix," said Maya, using his real name, "how did you find out about this client?"  
They looked into each others' eyes, and the revelation overtook them.  
"Pearls…"  
"Oh my god…"  
"She told me so many things, gave me so much bogus information…" he said. "I mean, it just sounded so plausible…"  
"I guess the convention was probably fake, too," said Maya. "Dammit, Pearl… you said they were gonna pay for the hotel…"  
"When did you check in?" said Phoenix.  
"Some time this morning." Phoenix shook his head.  
"That doesn't make any sense," he said. "I went in at two, hung up my suit, and left, but there was no sign of anybody else."  
"Objection," said Maya. "There's a partition, remember? And I was asleep at two. If you never opened the partition, I guess it's only natural we wouldn't have seen each other."  
"Pearls told me that the client had a specific table reserved," said Phoenix.  
"I guess she thought we would meet before then and figure it out," said Maya. "She must think we're idiots." For the next few minutes they fumed quietly and got a little bit drunker.  
"Y'know," said Phoenix, "maybe we shouldn't feel so mad at Pearls."  
"Hm?"  
"Well," he continued, "if she hadn't done this, we wouldn't be talking right now. Maybe she figured that we needed a push to continue our friendship." He smiled like he did seven years ago, and said "It kinda worked, right?"

"…?"

"Why so quiet?"  
"Phoenix."  
"Huh?"  
"I don't think…" She cut herself off. "Follow me."  
Maya headed over to the main staircase, and made her way down as quickly as possible. She went all the way down six flights of stairs when Phoenix finished his third, and waited for him at the bottom. "Just a little further," she said.  
They were inside the room. "Ready?" Having no idea what he might not be prepared for, Phoenix nodded. Maya pulled open the partition.  
"Whoa…"  
"…Yeah." Phoenix stared a while longer before saying anything more, for in the middle of the living area was an enormous bed covered in red, pink, and white blankets, sheets, and pillows, built in the shape of a heart and clearly meant for two.  
"Pearls…"  
"Hey…" said Maya. "What's this?" She motioned to a navy blue suitcase which was sitting by the bathroom in the entrance area. "I didn't notice this when I woke up. Did you come back in with it?" Phoenix told her about the issue at station.  
"Come to think of it," he said, "she said that they would be delivering them around five. What time is it now?" Maya checked her watch.  
"Five forty-five."  
"We'll have to take the elevator."  
"Huh?"  
"The restaurant is on the roof."  
"So?"  
Phoenix smiled. "Well, we wouldn't want Pearls's reservation to go to waste."

"This is ridiculous!" said Maya. "This is America! What kind of restaurant doesn't serve burgers in America?"  
"Well, it is an Italian restaurant," said Phoenix. "Get some… Italian food." Maya calmed down a bit and read through the menu.  
"Hey, Nick?"  
"Yeah?"  
"The spaghetti comes with meatballs."  
"Yeah, so?"  
"Do meatballs have beef in them?"  
"I think so. Usually. Probably."  
"I'm getting spaghetti."  
"Okay."

"…"  
Dinner arrived at half six and was finished by seven. After it was over, they headed to the rooftop pool and sat on the bottom of the shallow end.  
"So, Maya," said Phoenix, "you know about the trial and everything, but… I don't really know about you. How have you been?"  
"Fine." As much as he wanted to press her, something in Maya's voice made Phoenix change the subject.  
"It's really beautiful up here."  
"Yeah. Almost makes it worth not being able to swim when the weather sucks." Phoenix laughed, but wasn't certain that he was supposed to.  
"So, do you think Pearl made the right choice?"  
"Hm."  
"Well, I'm having a good time," said Nick. "But I guess I'd rather meet you on less expensive terms. Haven't been able to work at all for a few months; Trucy's magic has helped, but—hey, are you okay?" Maya was in water up to her chin, and her back was flat against the wall. Her hair appeared to be much longer than it had once been, like she hadn't had it shortened in all this time. In the water, it floated lazily in whatever direction was convenient.  
"Yeah," she said. "Fine. Sorry. I was just… thinking." Things were quiet for a moment.  
"Tag!" Phoenix could barely register what she had said before Maya bounced her hand against his bare back and ran in the opposite direction. Phoenix turned to face her, and tackled her into the water. As she sank, he got to hear her laugh again.  
"Niiiick!" said Maya, speaking between gasps for air and more laughter. Their heads were both above water, but Nick still held her loosely from behind while they caught their breath. "That's it! I'm getting you next time!" And again she laughed. For the rest of the evening they went in circles—they would talk for a bit, and whoever was "it" would eventually make their move, and it continued until neither could remember who was it and who wasn't, and it didn't feel that important anyway.  
They made it back to room 724 at half ten, when Phoenix said "You first or me?"  
"What?"  
"The shower," he said. "We're covered in chlorine, Fey."  
"Oh?" she said. "Who says we have to take separate showers, Nick?"  
Phoenix stared into Maya's eyes, looking for some sign of humor, but found none.  
"Maya…"  
But this was too much. His younger companion burst into laughter.  
"Damn, Nick! I'm sorry, but…" But even now, her laughter filled Nick with memories.  
"You can go first," he said, trying to dismiss his rampant thoughts of casual sex.  
"Okay," said Maya. "But…" she paused, looking for the right words. "Try not to miss me too much, okay?" Phoenix groaned. Even if everything else said otherwise, he couldn't help but think of Maya as the seventeen-year-old she was when they met. Maya started to laugh, and stepped into the bathroom. Phoenix, who was mostly dry from the walk down, put a towel on the bed and looked through the TV guide.  
Eight minutes into a rerun of the original Steel Samurai series, the water went off, and a towel-clad Maya stepped out of the bathroom.  
"Steel Samurai?" she said.  
"Yup."  
"Which series?"  
"The original."  
"Episode?"  
"The forest fire." Maya jumped on the bed and Phoenix shut the door behind him.  
Nine minutes later, the water went off for the second time, and Phoenix got out of the bathroom. To his relief, Maya had put on some actual clothes in his absence. He got on the bed beside her. They watched in near-silence for a couple minutes.  
"Hey, Nick?"  
"Hm?"  
"I don't know… if I'm in the mood for Steel Samurai right now."  
"What?"  
"Just… can I see the guide?"  
"Sure." For the next few minutes, she read it intently, and Steel Samurai resumed in the background.  
"Nick," she said, "have you ever heard of Tokyo Flower?" He shook his head. "It's a manga series… there are about seven volumes out in English right now, a few more in Japanese. Anyway, it say that the first episode of the anime will be rerun on NCN in a couple minutes, so… if you want to… I mean, I haven't seen it yet, but I've read it, so if you want to stay—"  
"Sure," said Phoenix. "No problem." They watched for a few minutes as the Steel Samurai blew out the forest fire with the fan of ultimate fanning, and switched the channel at 10:59.  
In the half hour that followed, they hardly talked at all, even during the commercial breaks. During a particularly romantic scene, Maya Put her head on Phoenix's stomach, but that was the sum of their significant interaction until the ending credits rolled.  
"So… she was lying the whole time?"  
"Yeah."  
"What an awful game."  
"I know, right? It's amazing. You should read it." Phoenix shook his head.  
"I could never get used to reading backwards."  
"Tch." They were quiet for a minute; Maya turned off the TV. Phoenix looked down at the grown Maya who was still resting on his stomach.  
"It's kinda funny," she said, "but all those years ago… Pearly was kinda right."  
"What? About what?"  
Maya sat up and looked straight into Phoenix's eyes. Then she blushed, and looked at the floor, just a moment before saying "Back then… I did kinda like you."  
"O-Oh…'  
"N-Not that it's like that now," said Maya. "And I didn't give Pearly any reason to think that, really. Not that I know of. Just… after Mia died, and the whole trial started, it was too much for me. Then this guy just offers to help me and…" She attempted to hide her clearly distressed face in her hands.  
After a moment of inaction, Phoenix hugged the almost-crying Maya. "Don't worry," he said. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, I promise." They held each other until Maya's had sufficiently calmed down. "And, to be honest," Phoenix continued, "I felt the same way. A little. Back then."  
Maya started to blush again, but Phoenix gently stopped her hands from covering her face. "I was so upset… after everything that happened, having no way to protect her. I know its selfish, but… it almost helped to have somebody even more broken than I was. Somebody who needed to be protected. I liked you—I really did. But you were seventeen then, and—" The next moment was quiet for all the right reasons. The soft sound of a person's voice was replaced by a new kind of energy—a spark which overtook the room and both of its occupants.  
"Wow," said Maya. "That was—that was my first." More silence.  
"And that was your second."  
And then they stopped; they put all the energy they had into a long, silent embrace.  
At last, the embrace was broken along with the silence. Maya put her head against Phoenix's, and stared into his eyes; gentle tears streamed down her face. For now, they would just enjoy each other, and the fruit of the final turnabout.


End file.
